Railway coupler



F. H. KAYLER RAILWAY COUPLER Feb. 2, 1960 Filed Jan. 24, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 4M

F. H. KAYLER RAILWAY COUPLER Feb. 2, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 24, 1956 TB INVENTOR.

ff f'AZy/a w x 2,923,419 a L Fatented Felo. 2,1960

RAILWAY COUPLER Frank H. Kayler, Alliance, Ohio, assignor to American teel Foundries, Chicago, 111., a corporation of New" ersey Application January 24, 1956, Serial No. 560,948 12 Claims, (Cl. 213-110) This'invention relates to couplers and more particularly. to automatic railway car couplers of the vertically self aligning and interlocking type.

The invention comprehends an arrangement for auto matic couplers whereby vertical self-aligning and interlocking is achieved for couplers of design especially adaptable to light weight trains.

While the majority of railway car couplers are mounted onthe cars at a standard height from the rail in the newlight weight low center of gravity passenger cars, itis necessary to mount the couplers at lower heights and under conditions where the usual available lateral and vertical coupler space is materially reduced. lnorder toetfect'a proper coupling between couplers so mounted, and to prevent their separation by vertical movement of the' couplers with respect to each other, it is necessary to provide a self-aligning and vertical interlocking arrangement therebetween. In conventional vertically interlocking type couplers, vertical interlock is accomplished by the-engagement of an extended guard arm of one coupler with interlock lugs of a mating coupler. The vertical gathering in such designs is usually accomplished by the engagement of inclined surfaces on the guard arm of one coupler with corresponding surfaces on the interlo'ck lugs of the mating coupler, The overall lateral and vertical dimensions of such a coupler are therefore usually considerably greater than those of the base coupler head because of the increased size of the guard arm and locking lugs required.

In order to avoid this type of an arrangement, couplers have heretofore been provided with contour shelves which have been placed at considerable distance from the knuckle in order to provide for the mating of couplers :at varying levels. This has proven objectionable because fitpermits vertical movement and wear between mated couplers, and also because it permits a misalignment of the coupler center lines which results in undesirable operative stresses on the unit when in bufiing engagement with another unit. Therefore, it is highly desirable that vertical movement of the mated couplers with respect to each other be of the minimum.

Accordingly, it is an important object of this invention to -provide a coupler of reduced dimensions both vertically and horizontally, as compared to present standard couplers, but one which still retains all of the desired operating and safety features of standard couplers, ineluding vertical self-aligning and interlocking.

' Another object of the invention is the provision of a coupler arrangement enabling couplers mounted at v'ar'ying different heights from the rail to mate with each other.

Another. object of the invention is the'provision of a vertical self-aligning interlocking coupler arrangement,- wherein vertical movement of' the mated couplers is reduced to a minimum.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of a coupler arrangement wherein vertical gathering is achieved by the'engagement between inclined surfaces on contour: shelves of one coupler and corresponding surfaces on the knuckle of a mating coupler.

Another specific object of the invention is the provi-v sion of a coupler arrangement wherein vertical interlock is achieved by cover contour shelves formed on the coupler head. 7 I

These and other objects will be apparent from an examination of the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a pair of mating couplers embodying my invention, the couplers being shown as they approach'each other for coupling withthe knuckle of one coupler in open positionandthe knuckle of the other coupler in closed position, v

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the structure illustrated in Figure l, H

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, but with the knuckle of each coupler shown in open position and engaging the gathering surface of the mating coupler,

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the structure illustrated in Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1, but with'the' couplers shown in final locked position,

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 66 of Figure 5, and

Figure 7 is a partial vertical sectional view taken along line 77'o-f Figure 5. I

Referring now to thedrawings for a better understanding of the invention, it will be seen that the-novel coupler comprises a head indicated generally-at 10 with a knuckle 12 pivoted thereto adjacent one side thereof by a pin-13 for rotational movement about a vertical axis. The side of the head'rernote-fror'n the knuckle isprovided with a forwardly extendinggvertical guard arm 14. Between the knuckle and the guard arm, the head presents a hollow cavity partly defined by a throat 16 and adapted for receipt of a mating coupler knuckle.

The upper and lower limits of the head are partly defined by a pair of forwardly extendingsubstantially fiat parallel cover contour shelves 18 and 20, respectively, spaced vertically from each other a distance only great enough to permit the free rotational movement therebetween of a mating coupler knuckle.

The shelves are provided with preferably integrallyformed forwardly extending inclined upper and lower gatheringlips 22 and 24, respectively, positioned between the coupler knuckle and guard arm. The lips'present substantially fiat inner gatheringsurfaces23 and 25 disposed in planes which diverge forwardly from the trans-* verse horizontal center plane ofthe head B-B and which are substantially normal to the longitudinal vertical center plane AA of the head. As best seen in Figure 2, the angle of inclination with respect to the horizontal center plane is approximately 45 degrees." Each'gathering surface presents a substantially straight forward edge 27, extending transversely of the head, and

transversely spaced forwardly converging side edges 31.

Referring now to Figure 2, it will be seen that the nose portion 34 of knuckle 12 extending outside of the head is beveled to present vertically spaced upper and lower substantially flat inclined surfaces 33 and"35',1'espectively. The knuckle surfaces lie in planes'which, when the knuckle is'in open position, converge forwardly toward the transverse horizontal center plane of the head, and which are substantially normal to the longitudinal vertical center plane of the head.

It will be noted that when the knuckle is in open posi tion, the pivotal axis 13 of the knuckle is'di-sposed'horizontally' of'the coupler between 1 the I outermost points 39-"of'-the rear edges-37of the knuekle'surfaces and the longitudinal vertical center plane of' tlie-had; and when the knuckleis in closed position, the knuckle surface edge 37 intersects the lonigtudinal vertical plane of the coupler.

In operation, as the couplers approach .each other, edges -37 of the upper and lower knuckle nose surfaces33 and 35 engage the inner lip gathering surfaces 23 and 25, 'respectively and the wedge-like engagement between the surfaces urges the mating couplers into vertical alignment to accomplish a perfect mating therebetween.

By having the forward edges of the knuckle nose surfaces, when the knuckle is in open position, extending transversely of the head with the outermost point of the edge positioned outwardly of the knuckle pivot, the knuckles are maintained in open position until complete coupling isieffected, thereby preventing the premature closing of the knuckle upon initial contact with the gathering lips of the mating coupler. 7

Once the knuckles are received in the throats of the mating coupler heads, the contour shelves serve to maintain the knuckles in alignment with each other and restrict vertical movement between the couplers, to minimize wearing of the parts and prevent telescoping of the cars in case of derailment,

I claim:

1. In an automatic railway car coupler, a coupler head having a' guard arm adjacent one side and knuckle pivot means adjacent the other side, substantially flat horizontally extending upper and lower cover shelves on the head, gathering lips extending forwardly fromthe shelves and disposed inwardly adjacent the guard arm side of the coupler head, said lips presenting inner gathering surfaces disposed in planes sloping forwardly and away from each other at a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal center plane of the coupler and substantially normal to the longitudinal vertical center plane of the coupler, and a knuckle disposed between said shelves and pivoted on a vertical axis by said pivot means to said coupler head, said knuckle when in open position presenting upper and lower beveled forward surfaces disposed in planes sloping forwardly toward the horizontal center plane of the coupler at an angle substantially equal to said first mentioned angle and substantially normal to the vertical center plane of the coupler, the outermost points of said beveled surfaces being outward of said pivot means.

2. A railway car coupler comprising a coupler head having substantially parallel vertically spaced upper and lower shelves, lips protruding from said shelves adjacent one side of the head and presenting forwardly diverging gathering surfaces, a knuckle pivoted on a substantially vertical axis to the head adjacent the other side thereof, said knuckle presenting spaced upper and lower forwardl-y converging surfaces lying in planes substantially normal to the longitudinally vertical center plane of the head when the knuckle is in open position with the outermost point on each knuckle surface being outward of said pivotal axis. W

3. In an automatic railway car coupler capable of limited vertical movement, a coupler head and a knuckle ivoted thereto for rotative movement on a vertical axis disposed adjacent one side of the head, said head presenting vertically spaced upper and lower inclined surfaces disposed, respectively, above and below said knuckle in forwardly diverging planes which extend in a direction substantially normal to the longitudinal vertical center plane of the head, said knuckle presenting vertically spaced upper and lower sloping surfaces disposed in forwardly converging planes which extend in a direction substantially normal to the longitudinal vertical center plane of the head when the knuckle is in open position. 4. An automatic railway car coupler comprising a head having a knuckle pivoted thereto for rotative movement on a vertical axis disposed adjacent one side of the head, said head presenting a pair of inclined surfaces facing each other and disposed externally of the head in forwardly diverging planes which are substantially normal to the longitudinal vertical center plane of the head, said surfaces being located, respectively, above and below said knuckle, said knuckle presenting upper and lower inclined surfaces facing away from each other and disposed in forwardly converging planes which are substantially normal to the longitudinal vertical center". plane of the head when the knuckle is in open position.

5. An automatic railway coupler comprising a head,

a knuckle pivoted thereto for rotative movement on a vertical axis, forwardly diverging gathering surfaces presented by the head and disposed, respectively, above and below said knuckle, andforwardly converging gathering surfaces presented by the knuckle, said head and knuckle gathering surfaces being adapted, respectively, to engage corresponding knuckle and head gathering surfaces of a mating coupler.

6. In an automatic self-aligning interlocking railway car coupler, a head having a guard arm adjacent one. side thereof, and having a knuckle pivoted to the head for rotative movement about a vertical axis disposed adjacent the other side of the head, gathering lips extending forwardly from the head and disposed between the guard arm and the knuckle, said lips presenting forwardlydiverging surfaces disposed in planes substantially normal to the longitudinal vertical center plane of the head, said knuckle tance from the longitudinal vertical. center plane of the coupleras is the pivotal axis of the knuckle.

- 8. In a railway car coupler according to claim 7, wherein the pivotal axis of the knuckle is between the outermost edges of the knuckle surfaces and the longitudinal vertical center plane of the head when the knuckle is in open position.

9. An automatic railway car coupler according to claim 5, wherein the medial portions of the head gathering surfaces are approximately the same distance from the lon-, gitudinal vertical center plane of the coupler as is the pivotal axis of the knuckle.

10. A railway car coupler according to claim 9, wherein said vertical axis is disposed between the longitudinal vertical center plane of the head and the outermost point on each knuckle surface when the knuckle is in open position.

-11. An automatic railway coupler comprising a head and a knuckle pivoted thereto for rotative movement about a vertical axis disposed adjacent one side, of the head, said knuckle presenting an inclined surface sloping forwardly away from. the longitudinal, horizontal center plane of the coupler and disposed in a plane extending normal to the longitudinal vertical center plane of the coupler when the knuckle is in open position, said head presenting an external inclined surface sloping forwardly toward the longitudinal horizontal center plane of the coupler and disposed in a plane extending normal to the longitudinal vertical center plane of the coupler, said knuckle and head surfaces being arranged and disposed for engagement with corresponding head and qknuckle surfaces, respectively, of a mating coupler to effect the vertical alignment of the couplers with each other.

12. An automatic railway coupler according to claim 11, wherein the distance between the longitudinal vertical center plane of the coupler and the medial portion of the head surface is approximately equal to the distance be tween the longitudinal vertical center plane of the coupler and the pivotal axis of the knuckle.

, (R e e c n oll w P g References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Boldt Apr. 21, 1885 Durbin Oct. 31, 1916 Archbold July 8, 1919 Tomlinson Dec. 20, 1932 6 Kinne Oct. 31, 1944 Metzger Oct. 26, 1954 Wolfe Dec. 4, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS ,7 Austria Oct. 10, 1927" Great Britain Mar. 30, 1955 

